Who We Are

The Pocahontas County Conservation Board (PCCB) is a county department whose primary goal is to provide a balanced conservation, recreation, and education program to the citizens of Pocahontas County. We are public servants and are entrusted with the mission of "conserving our natural heritage for those who follow."

In 1955 the Iowa State Legislature passed Chapter 350 of the Code of Iowa authorizing the county conservation board law. The code required each county to allow voters to decide whether to create a conservation board, and in the 1964 election the people of Pocahontas County approved the formation of the PCCB.

The Conservation Board itself consists of a five member volunteer decision- and policy-making body appointed by the County Board of Supervisors.  These board members are representatives from throughout Pocahontas County.  Board meetings are open to the public and usually take place at 7 pm the second Wednesday of the month in the PCCB Conservation Education Center located at our main office (time and date subject to change). Board members include:

o Larry Braby – Pocahontas (since February 1971)

o Ray Wolf – Varina (since January 1995)

o Bob Beneke – Palmer (since June 1996)

o Kevin Stumpf – Rolfe (since March 1997)

o Randy Gustafson – Laurens (since April, 2008)

Initially consisting only of board members, the PCCB evolved into a county department with the hiring of E.I. “Elmer” Rosenberger as its first director in 1965. Over the years a staff of permanent and seasonal employees has been added. The current PCCB staff consists of:

Brian Reis – Director/Park Ranger

Brian’s primary duty as director is to oversee the functions of the PCCB and its staff. The director also provides the board with recommendations as to the operation of the PCCB. Brian is from the northwest Iowa town of Odebolt. He graduated from Briar Cliff College in 1997 with a degree in Biology. Before coming to Pocahontas in 2002 Brian was a ranger for Plymouth CCB.

Kyle Scheidegger – Operations Manager/Park Ranger

Kyle's duties include the maintenance, development, and preservation of the areas managed by the PCCB. Kyle also assists Brian Reis with law enforcement duties in PCCB managed areas. Kyle was raised in rural Rockwell City. He is a 1991 graduate of Iowa State where he majored in Wildlife Biology. He began working for the PCCB in 1994 as roadside manager. He became operations manager in 1995 and received his law enforcement certification in 1997.

Joe Zeman – Maintenance Technician

A native of Poky, Joe was hired in 1994 and assists with equipment maintenance and park management and development. Joe handles any mechanical problems which may arise and uses his skills to create many custom items used in the shop and in the parks (such as our trailer picnic tables).

Aaron Samuelson – Roadside Manager

Aaron maintains and restores native vegetation on county roadsides and other public lands through the IRVM program. He also assists in the shop in the off-season. Aaron hails from rural Pocahontas County and is a 1999 graduate of PAC High School. Aaron began working for the PCCB as a seasonal and became Roadside Manager in 2002.

Leo Schuttler – Seasonal Maintenance Technician

Leo is a lifelong resident of Pocahontas County. He is an all around "can-do" guy who can and does just about anything that is needed.

Clay Steele – County Naturalist

Clay provides environmental education for students attending the Pocahontas County school districts and presents outdoor- and conservation-themed programs for the public. Clay spent most of his childhood in Ohio and Chicago, eventually moving to Iowa City, Iowa, his adopted hometown for nearly 20 years. A graduate of the University of Iowa, he double-majored in Art and Anthropology with a minor in American Indian Studies. After stints with AmeriCorps in Oregon and as a seasonal naturalist in Elkader in NE Iowa he joined the PCCB staff in 2005.

Corinne Peterson – Office Manager

Corinne, a third generation Pocahontas County native, has been in charge of the PCCB’s front office since 2006. She is the first person the public talks to and is responsible for processing and maintaining the paperwork of the Conservation Department. Corinne is a graduate of Buena Vista University with a degree in English Education.

Contact us at:

PCCB

702 NW 7^th St.

Pocahontas, IA 50574

Ph: 712.335.4395

Fax: 712.335.3606

Email: pokyccb@evertek.net

Hours: 7:30 am – 3:30 pm, M-F